Black, the co-founder of Apollo Global Management, was due to give an on-camera, sworn deposition to the committee as part of its investigation into Epstein's network and financial dealings. Instead, his legal team filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington arguing that the subpoenas demanding testimony and the turnover of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were "invalid" and bore "no legitimate connection" to the committee's legislative aim.
Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican, said the panel would proceed with an "empty chair" in the hearing room for the record and consult members on next steps. "It's a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people," Comer said.
Representative Robert Garcia, the committee's top Democrat, called for immediate contempt proceedings. "By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas," Garcia said. "His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable. We must hold him in contempt immediately."
Contempt of Congress could lead to a referral to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.
Black's lawsuit contends that surrendering the NDAs could "expose women who value their privacy, who have no known or public connection to Epstein, who bargained for confidentiality and have refused to release it." His attorney, Susan Estrich, said in a press release, "This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr Black... We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power."
The committee had subpoenaed Black after he abruptly walked out of a voluntary hearing in June when questioned about the NDAs. During that session, Black acknowledged paying Epstein $158 million for tax and estate-planning advice, but denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities or any wrongdoing himself.
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors, in what authorities determined was a suicide. The scandal has continued to resonate in political circles, with President Donald Trump—a former associate of Epstein—facing repeated questions over the matter.